For those of you who think the Miss USA competition is just a battle of beauty, you are only partially right. Responses of the ladies in the Q&A portion do carry some weight, which explains why Miss Utah failed to advance to the final three, and why Miss Connecticut was eventually selected as this year's winner.

Miss USA 2013 Erin Brady was graduated at Central Connecticut State University majored in finance, and she has worked as a financial accountant at Prudential Financial.

Miss Connecticut won the pageant by answering a question about the US Supreme Court's decision upholding widespread DNA tests.

"If someone is being prosecuted and committed a crime, it should happen," she said. "There are so many crimes that if that's one step closer to stopping them, then we should be able to do so."

Brady, who struggled with alcoholism in her family, has said she intends to become an advocate for children of addicts.

In addition to her winning answers and obvious aesthetic appeal, Brady also earned points for her charity work with the Make-a-Wish and Susan G. Komen foundations and her aspirations to go back to school for her MBA.

Erin Brady, 25, is from East Hampton, Connecticut will go on to represent the US in this year's Miss Universe pageant. Get to meet the new Miss USA, and check out other outstanding moments from the night's competition on June 16, 2013 at Planet Hollywood Resort Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The top 6 finalists: Miss Texas, Miss Connecticut, Miss South Carolina, Miss Illinois, Miss Alabama and Miss Utah put on their eveningwear best as they take the stage to see who will be crowned Miss USA.

The 25-year-old beauty queen of the 2013 Miss USA pageant is sparkling in lime green gown.

Miss Utah, Marissa Powell, was asked the following question: "A recent report shows that in 40 per cent of American families with children, women are the primary earners yet they continue to earn less than men. What does this say about society?"

She paused for a while and then responded: “I think we can relate this back to education, and how we are continuing to try to strive… to… figure out how to create jobs right now. That is the biggest problem right now.” After a long pause she continued: “I think, especially the men are … um … seen as the leaders of this, and so we need to see how to … create education better. So that we can solve this problem. Thank you.”

Despite the blunder, the 21-year-old from Salt Lake City still managed to get third runner-up and was named Miss Photogenic.

First runner-up Miss Alabama Mary Margaret McCord will take Miss USA Erin Brady’s place as America's reigning pageant queen if she has to relinquish her title for any reason.

As winner of Miss USA, Erin Brady will receive not only the crown, but also a swanky New York apartment for one year. She is expected to spend her title reign on a nationwide speaking tour and raising breast and ovarian cancer awareness, the organisation's official cause.